We hydrofoil all year round here in Denmark.
Of course, if a lot below zero and ice in the water, no, but we havent had much of that the last many years.
If windy (for 7 m2 and smaller) and sideshore and good waves, mostly out on waveboards, as quite rare with "dream" conditions.
The sloppier conditions, way more fun on a kite hydrofoil or wingfoil
Sometimes nice to mix it up on the same days, and rig a two sizes smaller kite for wavefoiling
Meaning, if 7 m2 wind for the waveboard (meaning average 21-22 knots), a 4 m2 could work sweetspot on a hydrofoil.
Even though I use a 3 m2 Peak4 (foilkite) instead now, fits in this wind
Amazed to see so many, in fact all of you who has answered, riding in 30 to +40 knots winds?
Are you riding strapped and maxed out, and supershort lines, or simply prefer to be mega powered instead of the "surf" style power?
Here even when we ride on wave/surfboards, 30 knots is the upper limit for a 5 m2 tubekite, from then on possible but away from the good sweetspot.
Above 30 knots averege wind you can still just hold on and surf (for average weights), but overpowered, not as fun to ride DTL as you can not ride as freely anymore.
The sweetspot for a 5 m2 tube on a waveboard is around 26-27 knots average wind for most riders.
If you ride strapped waveboards you can go a bit higher, maybe into 30-32 knots average wind yes, but from then, you are powered more than good, and a 4 m2 tube would fit much better.
So amazed to see how many of you riding hydrofoils in way more wind (compared to kite size) than most ride wave/surfboards?
Or is it simply for the fun just being out on the upper limit, almost survival mode, and not because you can carve and surf on the hydrofoil?
Jump height would be max yes, but you will drop like a rock with a 5 m2, which is not always fun on hydrofoils
Many misjudge the wind a lot, when its windy, that could be another reason, even though a bit of an accusation, sorry
Peter